Lauren Price doesn't take much for granted anymore.

The recent Moon Area High School graduate says she has had an eye-opening experience since working with Paul Guido, 54, a blind, partially physically impaired Coraopolis man.

Last year, Lauren volunteered to become Paul's personal trainer at US Fitness gym in Coraopolis, as part of her senior project.

The experience has made her see how "the things I complain about are minute compared to what Paul has to deal with.

"It makes you realize all the things you take for granted." It also has helped her confirm her career choice. She says she now knows she wants to work with the physically handicapped as a physical therapist.

And, that experience and realizations came about kind of accidentally and right on time.

Last summer she and a friend began working out almost everyday at US Fitness Care in Coraopolis to get in shape to play softball.

When she began her senior year last September, she began thinking about a senior project, which needed to begin by October.

Since she knew Bob Magel, owner of US Fitness so well, she asked him for an idea. At first he suggested getting some girls together and organizing a workout class, but then at the last minute, he had a better idea.

Bob has seen Paul walking through town many times and asked him if he would like to work out at the gym at no cost and would he be willing to work with a student on her senior project.

Both Paul and Lauren agreed to the plan, and on Oct. 2, just in time to meet her senior project deadline, Lauren began working with Paul.

"He is so completely cool," she says. "When I met him, I was amazed at how willing he was to work out with someone he never met before."

She asked Paul if he would feel comfortable talking about what happened to him. He willingly told Lauren about his experience at age 16. He and a cousin had been hunting and were both coming up a hill. His cousin mistook Paul for an animal and Paul was accidentally shot in the back of the head. The accident took his vision and affected his right arm and right leg.

Lauren then contacted many special organizations to figure out how to work with the blind, and she read all about it.

She went to his apartment to familiarize herself with the kinds of special equipment he had and met his seeing-eye dog, Dazzle.

At one point, Paul and Lauren were invited to a Lion's Club dinner where Lauren was asked to speak about her project. After her speech, the club presented her with a $200 check to help purchase anything Paul would need to help with this workout activities--clothes, shoes and a new addition to the gym.

Lauren explains that part of the money will go toward a special harness that will be installed at the gym to help the disabled to exercise without physical assistance.

Lauren also raised about $100 on her own with help from the gym. She printed up brochures featuring photos of her and Paul working together and explanation about her senior project.

The brochure asks for donations and includes a form on the back that people can fill out and sent back to US Fitness. Sewickley Savings Bank also is accepting deposits for the fund-raiser.

Since she began working with Paul, starting off two days a week and working up to four, Paul also has received other donations as well. The husband of a woman at the gym works for a department store and donated several shirts, shorts and pairs of shoes. In addition, for Christmas, Lauren bought him gloves, a hat and sweat pants.

But, donations aren't the only benefit for Paul. Since working out with the gym's flex resistance bands, fitness ball for balance, step machine and exercise bike, and dancing, he now can get around a little better. Lauren says several borough residents say they have noticed a big improvement when they see Paul walking around town.

Paul can also now open up his hand on his own and grab items when it was not possible before.

Maybe most importantly, Paul also has gained a friend. Lauren says she calls him occasionally just to see how he's doing, and she plans to keep working out with him even though her senior project is complete.

"Paul has been an inspiration to me because he has so much hope."